Scenes from the Life of Christ 1452

Fra Angelico created these frescoes depicting the life of Christ in the Basilica di San Marco in Florence. Note the sequence of scenes from the life of Christ, starting with the Mocking, and the road to Calvary. The Crucifixion scene is followed by the Resurrection of Christ, and the Descent into Limbo, when Christ frees souls from purgatory, all culminating in the Last Judgement. Pay particular attention to the figure of Christ in the Descent into Limbo. Christ’s triumphant, life-saving gesture echoes Orpheus’s descent into the underworld. This motif recurs throughout history, like in ancient Greek myths, often symbolizing transformation and renewal, tapping into our deepest fears and hopes about death and rebirth. Just as Orpheus sought to reclaim Eurydice, Christ seeks to save humanity. The cyclical nature of death and rebirth is echoed throughout this pictorial cycle. Each scene, while distinct, is connected by shared themes and symbolic gestures that continue to resonate across time.